I Can Fix That
by Gratiae
Summary: Ike takes a fancy to the new school mistress in town, but needs some pushing to do anything about it.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Young Riders.**

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The red bandana tied around his head was drenched with sweat as the hot sun beat down on him and a dark patch was working it's way down the back of his white shirt. Glancing up from the window he was fixing, he let his gaze sweep over the schoolhouse, over the young children sharing primers and small chalk slabs, past the two boys in the front row holding a frog cupped in their hands behind their desk, to stop on Miss Polly Tucker, who stood in front of the chalkboard with her back to the class.

Ike McSwain watched her write for a minute before focusing again on the window that wouldn't open. He'd been in the general store with Buck yesterday picking up feed for the horses when the young schoolmistress walked in, her pretty blonde hair plaited and pinned up. It was the first week of the summer session of school and Miss Polly had come into Sweetwater on the train a few days before that. News spread fast among the Pony Express riders, especially about pretty girls their own age. Jimmy and Cody had practically begged Emma to send them to pick up the feed, chomping at the bit to catch a glimpse or maybe more, so she sent Buck and Ike instead.

_"One of the windows in the school house won't open," Polly told William Tompkins behind the store counter as she handed over a few coins in exchange for some paper and string. "Other than the window, the building will be nice once I give it a good sweeping."_

_ Tompkins bid her good luck and Ike watched her pause over a bolt of pink calico. Her fingertips traced the soft cloth. Buck elbowed Ike in the side._

_ "You think she's pretty." The signed words were a statement, not a question._

_ "She's okay." Ike signed back before hefting the first of several bags onto his shoulder to carry out to the wagon. Buck hit him and Ike stopped._

_ "Talk to her."_

_ Ike gave a silent laugh and pushed past him. Buck grabbed a bag and followed after him. The two tossed their load into the wagon and Buck got in Ike way before Ike could walk._

_ "Talk to her," Buck insisted, aloud this time._

_ "How?" Ike replied. "I can't speak."_

_ "I can," Buck told him._

_ "She won't like me," Ike shook his head. "Jimmy or Cody –"_

_ "Let her decide." This time, Buck didn't wait for an answer. He turned and walked ahead of Ike. "Miss Tucker?"_

_ "Yes?" Polly turned, taking a step back when she saw Buck. Ike walked past and picked up a second bag of feed, carting it past Buck and out to the wagon. "Yes?"_

_ "I couldn't help overhearing that one of your windows won't open," Buck nodded at Tompkins, who still kept a close eye on him when he was in the store. "Well, I know someone who can help you with that. My friend, Ike, he fixed the window at our station a couple weeks ago. He could fix yours."_

_ Buck grabbed Ike on Ike's third trip back into the store and turned him to face Polly, Ike's face as hot and pink as the calico cloth._

_ "You can fix a window, Mr…"_

_ "McSwain," Buck answered her. "Ike McSwain."_

_ "Can't he answer for himself?" Polly eyed him. Ike shook his head and signed words Polly couldn't understand._

_ "Ike had scarlet fever," Buck explained and Polly nodded._

_ "You can fix a window, Mr. McSwain?"_

_ Ike nodded._

_ "What can I offer you in return, Mr. McSwain?"_

_ Ike shook his head, looking at the ground._

_ "I would really love to be able to open that last window."_

_ "I can fix it," Ike signed._

That was how, against his better judgment, Ike had wound up in town at the schoolhouse that blistering afternoon. He almost had the window unstuck when Polly had the children line up in two rows, boys against girls, for a spell-off. The sound of the window finally wrenching free interrupted the spell-off when there were four spellers left and Ike held up a hand in apology.

The school let out when the spell-off finished, a twelve-year-old girl Ike knew by sight winning on a big word Ike couldn't spell in his wildest dreams. Polly straightened up and swept the room clean while Ike finished the window. Ike tapped on the wood frame to get Polly's attention when he was done and Polly looked up, crossing the room with a smile.

"You finished?"

Ike nodded and made a point of showing her where he'd pried loose the stuck window and sanded down the wood where it had swelled, causing it to stick in the first place. Then he showed her the grease that would make it easier for her to open the window and the board that would keep it open.

"Your friend was right. You sure can fix a window," Polly put a hand on his shoulder and Ike felt the touch tingle through the rest of him. "Where'd you learn how to fix a window?"

Ike started to sign the words and then stopped short, a grim set to his face. Polly held up a hand and turned back towards her desk, returning with one of the chalk slates and a small piece of chalk.

_ "I learned." _The scratchy, uneven print embarrassed Ike when he saw her pretty script still up on the chalkboard, but he held it so she could see.

"Where?"

"_Pa."_

"Sounds like your pa was a handy man."

"_Was your pa handy?" _Ike paused over the word 'handy,' sounding it out in his head as he scrabbled it out on the chalk slate.

"Sort of," Polly smiled. "My Pa is a preacher in Concord, back in Massachusetts. He was more interested in book learning than physical work. Where's your pa?"

"_Killed."_ Ike looked down as he showed her the slate.

"I'm so sorry, Ike," Polly covered his hand with hers. Ike raised his head. Her brown eyes were soft and kind and looked into his grey-green ones like they were searching for something. "I think… I think your pa would be real proud of you."

Then, Ike did something for which he had no explanation. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Miss Polly Tucker's lips.

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**A/N:**

**One of my best friends / long lost big sisters / soulmates, BrilliantDarkness, got me hooked on this show when I was up visiting her and hers a week ago and so this is entirely her fault. ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT. FAULT. ALL YOURS. VERY ANGRY. /angryface**

**Okay, I honestly have no idea where I'm going with this. It got in my head so I wrote it. I've only watched up to episode 5, so any horrible OCC-ness is courtesy of that. **

**I like Ike.**

**Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it and, please, tell me what you think - good or bad.**

**Love, Thalia**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Young Riders.**

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"Are you insane?" Polly hissed, pushing away from him, her eyes wide and nervous.

Ike stared at her, his own eyes wide and terrified at what he'd just done. Standing there, a foot and a half away from her, he had no idea what had compelled him to do that. Moves like that were for men like Jimmy or Cody, men with charm and looks to back them up, men who knew how to magic their way beneath a woman's skirt and then slip back out without getting themselves hung. Ike was the kind of man couldn't charm his way out of anything. He couldn't even spell the word 'handy.' That i just hadn't look right at the end there.

Besides, what woman would want to be kissed by a man who couldn't even tell her he thought she looked pretty with her hair up like that?

"I knew you were mute, but I didn't know you were outside your God-given mind!" Polly put desks between them. "What if someone saw us? What if Reverend Williams saw us? Or his wife or children? They'd send me straight away! I haven't even been in Sweetwater a week yet!"

Ike bolted from the schoolhouse, dropping the chalk slate and high tailing it outside like God Almighty had reached down from the Heavens and chased him out Himself. He jumped on his horse and gave the beast a few swift kicks until she was galloping away towards the station.

What had he been thinking? A woman like her wouldn't want anything to do with a broken man like himself. A woman like Polly Tucker would end up married to a man who deserved her. Ike's vision blurred and he slowed the horse to wipe at his eyes with his dirty sleeve. He dismounted about halfway to the station house and dropped to the ground behind a bush tree, crossing his arms over his knees and burying his face in his sleeves.

Ike usually didn't allow himself dreams. He knew how lucky he was already, how it was a miracle he had such a good job with the Pony Express when most employers wouldn't look at him twice. He never dared to dream of anything more than being a Pony Express rider until he dropped dead or was killed. He never let himself dream of having a wife or a family. It wasn't in the hand life dealt him. It would never be in his hand.

Watching Polly from his spot by the window, though, watching her teach the little ones in the first few rows, Ike had let his mind wonder with the idea of Polly or someone like her mothering his children. The whole daydream ran away from him and the next thing he knew he was kissing her.

He was eighteen long years old and he'd never kissed a girl before this afternoon. For the briefest moment it felt like it'd last forever, like it was the first of a million kisses he'd share with Polly Tucker and, in the next breath, the moment shattered into shards of fine glass on the schoolhouses' wood floors.

Polly's reaction brought him right back to reality, reminding him how distant any dream of a family really was. No one wanted a mute man as an employee and no woman would ever want one for a husband. What woman would want a husband whose voice she'd never hear? A husband who could never tell her he loved her or whisper in her ear?

That wasn't a curse he'd wish on any woman, much less one he liked.

ooo ooo ooo ooo

Polly sat behind her desk, stunned and confused and remembering the taste of Ike's kiss on her lips. Pastor Tucker was right. She never should have come all the way out to Nebraska Territory on her own. It was inviting trouble for a girl of only sisteen to travel two thousand miles across this wild country on her own. She'd been in Sweetwater for all of five days and already she was tiptoeing along the line that would get her shipped right back to Brookfield.

"Polly Tucker, you best get your head on straight," Polly told herself, but, even as she said the words, she was staring at the spot by the window Ike had occupied for two hours. She'd watched Ike between paying attention to her students. The way his hands were sure and steady in their movements created butterflies in her stomach and the quiet blush that tinted his face when she spoke to him warmed her heart and made her smile.

He'd caught her breath at the general store with the way he'd looked at her, like she was something special. Polly had never felt special before – the sixth of six daughters was a disappointment, not a treasure. But Ike had looked at her like he'd never see someone like her again. The only thing special about Polly, that she could think of, was how ordinary she was; ordinary enough to overlook and ordinary enough to send away to make her own fate without being missed.

Ike made her feel special. Ike made her want to kiss him again and again and curl into arms she just knew would be safe and strong. Ike threw her sensibilities right out the window and turned her into a moony sixteen-year-old over the attention of a… she didn't even know how old he was. She didn't know where he was from, she didn't know his story, but when she looked into his eyes she knew as well as she knew her own name that she could and would fall so hard into him that she'd lose herself completely.

That was one thing she couldn't afford to let happen. A young teacher couldn't afford to let herself fall for a Pony Express rider. If she did, she might as well rip out her own heart and let stampede of wild Mustangs trample it into the ground. The end result would be the same.

She needed to stay far, far away from Ike McSwain and his sweet, shy smile before she found herself dancing straight off the edge of insanity and into sin for the mute rider with uncanny knack for making her weak in the knees, quick in the heart and stupid in the head.

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**A/N:**

**Because I don't have enough on my plate with two Criminal Minds stories, a Harry Potter story and all my original fictions. Of course not. What's another story? Who needs restraint?**

**I've watched 10 TYR episodes in less than a day. Plus went to work. I need serious help. J, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT.**

**Anywho, thanks for the wonderful welcome, yall! J was so right about how amazing yall are. Thanks a bunch!**

**Thanks for reading and I hope you liked it.**

**Love, Thalia**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Young Riders.**

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"Hey, there's Ike!" Cody elbowed Jimmy so hard Jimmy fell backwards off the fence post, cussing a up a storm, as Ike road into the station. "Hey, Ike! How'd it go? She as pretty as e'rybody says? She ask 'bout me? I'm gonna marry me Polly Tucker."

Ike jumped off his horse and just left Marie there in a lather of sweat with her saddle still strapped to her when he stormed off to the bunkhouse, slamming the door behind him.

"Was it something I said?" Cody asked, looking at Lou with his mouth slightly open and a confused expression in his eyes.

"Boys," Lou shook her head and jumped off the fence post, headed towards the bunkhouse after Ike. "You're all dumber than a pack o' pigs livin' with coyotes." Lou opened the bunkhouse door and shut it behind her. Leaning against the door jam, she took in the sight of Ike lying in his bunk on his side, facing away from her. "It's just me, Ike. You feel like talkin?"

Ike flung his hat at her without turning around.

"C'mon now, Ike. I ain't do nothin. Besides, you know Cody's just talkin to move his mouth. He don't mean what he say. He says he's gonna marry a different girl every week."

Ike rolled over and sat up on the edge on his bunk. "Go away, Lou."

"Ike –"

"Go away! I don't want to talk!"

"What's wrong, Ike?" Lou pushed off on the door jam. "She married?"

Shaking his head, Ike stared down at his boots. Eventually, the whole story came tumbling out so fast that Lou could barely keep up.

"And Jimmy says you have no moves," Lou elbowed him in the side lightly, sitting next to Ike on his bunk.

"She doesn't want me. It was stupid."

"I dunno, maybe a little reckless. You've only met her twice, Ike. You probably scared her half to death."

"Why would someone like her want someone like me?" His hand movements were sharp and angry. His nostrils flared in an attempt to stop the angry tears. Ike would not cry over the life he'd lost as a child. He'd already cried a lifetime of tears over the would-have-been's. He would shed no more for them.

"Why wouldn't she? Ike, you're a good man. Any girl would be lucky to have you. But put yourself in her position," Lou leaned down on her elbows, her hands clasped together in front of her. "Ain't she livin with Reverend Williams and his family? Reverend Williams is a real strict man. Don't you think she might be a little worried about gettin caught kissing? He could put her out of his house and then where'd she be? She's a long way from home with no family."

ooo ooo ooo ooo

"Dammit, Ike," Jimmy covered his eyes with the crook of his elbow and groaned in annoyance. "It's _Sunday_. You know why God _made_ Sundays? To rest! Stop makin noise, I'm tryin to sleep while there's still some damn darkness left!"

Ike pulled on his boots and tied his clean, black bandana around his head. Bending over Buck's bunk, he shook him awake. Startled, Buck jerked up, bashed his head into the bottom of Kid's bunk. Kid jumped like a bat out of Hell and crashed to the floor on top of Ike with a holler that woke everyone from Sweetwater to Fort Laramie.

"Ike McSwain, I'm gonna kill you," Cody threw back his blanket and swung his legs over the side. "Why you waking all us up before the sun's even up?"

"I need Buck to come with me."

"Is someone dying?" Buck rubbed the top of his head.

"Come to church with me."

"Church? You never go to church, Ike." Buck ran a hand over his face and stared up at his best friend. "You don't even know where the church is, that's how often you go to church. I'm not going to church I don't believe in."

"Polly Tucker lives with the good Reverend Williams and his family," Lou smiled and peeked out from her top bunk. "Remember?"

Ike's face went scarlet and he told Lou to shut her mouth. Lou just smirked and rolled over, pulling her pillow over her head.

"Now wait just a minute. You're goin to ride all the way into the Sweetwater and sit through some stuffy, do-goody sermon from Reverend Nose-In-The-Air while he looks down at you like you're a spot of dirt on his shiny shoe just so's you can see Polly Tucker," Jimmy whistled in disbelief, "and you want one of us to go with you. She's right – you're plum crazy. You oughta be locked up."

"I'll go with you, Ike," the Kid gave him a smile. "My mama would be ashamed if she knew how long it's been since I set foot in a church."

"Well, get out quick so the rest of us can sleep through what little night there is left," Jimmy groused, pulling his hat off the post of his bed and dropping it over his face, crossing his arms over his chest. "And be quiet about it! I don't wanna havta shoot you on a Sunday."

Ike and Kid tied up their horses outside of the church later that morning just as the church bells started ringing out over the town. Walking in, Ike and Kid found seats in one of the back pews and sat awkwardly, trying not to draw attention to themselves.

"Which one is she?"

Scouring the room since they'd entered, Ike's eyes were fixed on Polly sitting in the front row next to Mrs. Williams and the Reverend's two children, Jedaiah and Mabel. She wore a plain green dress and her blond hair was braided and pinned up the way Ike had wanted to tell her was pretty.

"That's her?" Kid leaned over and whispered quietly. Ike nodded. "Are you goin to ask if you can court her?"

Ike shook his head no.

"Then why are we here?"

"I want to see her."

"Well, it doesn't make sense to me not to ask," Kid whispered.

Of course Kid wouldn't understand. Kid had everything going for him. He could actually offer Lou a life if they ever got their hands together properly. Ike had nothing to offer anyone except a way with horses. He wouldn't waste Polly's time. He wouldn't make a fool out of himself believing in fairytale dreams.

Reverend Williams took to the pulpit and Ike did his best to listen while the Reverend spoke, but found his attention drifting back to Polly every few seconds. At the end of the service, Ike couldn't rightly remember what it had even been about. He and the Kid stood with everyone else. Polly spotted Ike as people surged to the front to shake the Reverend's hand. She smiled and gave a nod of greeting, but stayed with Mrs. Williams.

"Boys," Reverend Williams looked down at Ike and Kid like he wanted to step away from a particularly smelly dog that had come up begging for scraps.

"Nice sermon, Reverend," Kid held out his hand and Ike was almost surprised the Reverend didn't scrub his hand afterwards.

"We don't see you Pony Express riders often. Glad you could make the time to pay proper respect to God this Sunday. Where are the rest of your pony riders? Asleep in bed, I expect?"

"They have rides today," Ike lied and, with a small cringe, Kid verbalized Ike's words.

"I suppose the mail waits for no man," Reverend Williams gave a tight smile, "or even God." The Reverend moved on to the next, more important person and Ike and Kid shuffled along out of the building with the flow of bodies.

"What do we do now?" The Kid asked when they were outside.

"There she is," Ike said, staring ahead and a little to the left. "She's right there."

Polly saw them and raised a hand in greeting as she started making her way over to them.

"Polly?" Reverend Williams appeared next to Polly and Polly stopped in her tracks. Ike watched as Polly's eyes darted to him and then back to the Reverend. "There's someone I want you to meet. Miss Polly Tucker, this is Dr. Moses Barnes."

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Tucker," Moses held out his hand and took hers. Ike saw Polly's glance shift from Moses to him as Moses kissed her hand.

"You as well, Dr. Barnes."

Ike felt his attitude towards the doctor who had taken good care of quite a few of his injuries plummet. He'd never give Dr. Barnes another dollar, even if it meant keeping a bullet in his leg.

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**A/N:**

**I feel like crap and it's kept me up all night, so, I guess, at least I got something written? I hope I feel better for work tomorrow, but I have a feeling I won't. Yay. I'm so excited. Can you hear it in my typing?**

**Thanks for reading and I hope you liked it.**

**Love, Thalia**

**P.S. I'm still mad at you, J-bird. xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Young Riders.**

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Polly's eyes were locked with Ike's as Dr. Moses Barnes kissed her hand. Ike gave her a tight smile, nodded and turned to leave. Her throat clogged and her nose stung with tears she didn't understand. This was better. She shouldn't have started walking to him like a pig to slop in the first place. It was against everything she'd been telling herself since they kissed in the schoolhouse. It was better if Ike left. But, if it was better, why did she want to cry?

It was a stupid, childish crush, nothing more. But still, Polly wanted to pull her hand away from Dr. Barnes and dash through the crowd to stop Ike from leaving, throw her arms around his waist and cry for him to stay. Her father would sigh, shake his head and ask the Lord why he'd been cursed with such an impetuous daughter. Ike pulled his hat onto his head and gave her a long look before disappearing into the crowd with his curly-haired friend.

"How are you liking our little town, Miss Tucker?"

"Quite well," Polly managed to answer without stumbling over her words too badly and dragged her attention from Ike to Moses. The doctor's grey hair was combed neatly and Polly bit back the question that rose to her lips – if the doctor had any daughters her age. Dr. Moses Barnes was easily older than her father.

Over the crowd in front of her, she saw Ike and his friend hoist themselves up onto their horses. Ike met her gaze one last time, touched the brim of his hat, turned his horse and left. His friend touched his hat as well before following Ike. Polly felt their departure like a swift kick in the stomach.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Barnes. What did you say?"

Dr. Barnes smiled. "I asked if you would please do me the honour of joining me for lunch."

She wanted to say 'thank you, but no,' and might have had she not caught the look Reverend Williams gave her. So instead, she nodded her acceptance and took the doctor's arm. It was the only right, sane thing to do. Polly tried to ease her nerves on the short walk towards the hotel, but every step twisted her already sore stomach. If this was right, it sure felt wrong.

Dr. Barnes held out the chair for her like a proper gentleman and Polly sat down, thinking of the times her grandfather had done the same thing. Grandpa Tucker had picked out Polly as his favourite for whatever reason, maybe because he knew how disappointed Pastor Tucker had been to find out she was a Polly, not a Paul. Whatever Grandpa Tucker's reasoning, he'd dotted on Polly, letting her sit in his print shop while he and her Uncle Hiram pressed newspapers and pamphlets and books and dime novels, giving her penny candy and saving copies of books for her. Every once and a while, Grandpa Tucker would take her down the street from his shop to Mr. Collins' bakery. Grandpa Tucker would pull out the pretty wrought iron chair for her, push her in so she could reach the table and they'd share one of Mr. Collins' little cakes sitting at the table in the window. Polly had always loved the times with her Grandpa Tucker and right now, watching Dr. Barnes sit down across from her, she wished desperately his kind face would change into the familiar one of Grandpa Tucker.

"Reverend Williams said you hail from Brookfield," Dr. Barnes smiled at her and Polly made the effort to smile back. "I have some family in Brookfield, myself. My sister moved there from Milwaukee with her husband some years ago. Sam and Sarah Miller."

"I grew up just a few blocks down from the Miller's," Polly's smile was easy this time. "They had a daughter my age, Lottie. We used to play together. My eldest sister, Elizabet, married their second son a few years ago. Elizabet and Robert had a son just a month or so before I left for Sweetwater! His name's Moses. They must have named him after his Great Uncle."

"Yes, I got that letter last week. Wonderful news, though I don't know why Robert would choose to give the poor child my name! Please, tell me, how are they doing? What's Brookfield like? Letters can only say so much." Dr. Barnes' eyes were cheery and bright and Polly felt the ease she'd been hoping for finally come.

"Truth be told, part of me misses Brookfield already. It's a grand little town, not so grand as Milwaukee or New York, but it's not to be dismissed either. The Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad go right through the centre of town and there's always something exciting being unloaded at the Junction. My Grandpa Tucker owns the print shop, so everything always a ruckus. He has a knack for making even the most boring bit of news exciting," Polly talked until she realized she'd probably been talking too much and stopped, an abashed flush covering her cheeks.

"I hope you'll eventually come to talk about Sweetwater the same way you talk about Brookfield. Sweetwater's not as fine or grand a town as Brookfield, but it can be exciting and it has it's own charms."

"Yes," Polly nodded in agreement, her thoughts flitting back to Ike and his shy smile. "I've already begun to appreciate some of Sweetwater's charms."

"I hope, one day, to go and see my sister and her family in Brookfield, but I haven't been able to yet."

"I'll have to write and tell Elizabet that I've met you. I suppose the 'Wild West' isn't so big after all!"

"Now, Father, don't go giving Miss Tucker the impression that the West is as tame as back east."

Polly jumped in her seat at the hand that came to rest on the back of her chair. Turning, she looked up to see a tall man smiling down at her with the same kind smile that graced the face across from her. Bright blue eyes were merry and curly blond hair was tucked behind his ears.

"My apologies for being so late, but I find you can't rush a baby. It'll be born when it wants to be born."

"Miss Polly Tucker, this is my son, Dr. Lansford Barnes. Lansford, this is Miss Polly Tucker, Sweetwater's brand new schoolmistress."

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**A/N:**

**God Bless Soccer. I watched two games today, half a game yesterday and I have two games to watch tomorrow. If I can't have hockey (stupid Canucks being stupid and failing miserably in the post season, what's wrong with you, you idiots? gave the dang series away, didn't you, eh?), then at least I have the Dynamo, the USA Men's National Team and the Italy Men's National Team. YAY FOR MLS, World Cup Qualifiers and Euro 2012!**

**In the Denmark/Netherland's game this morning, Denmark's keep was putting on a freaking clinic in net, it was insane. Absolutely insane.**

**Moving on.**

**I'm really hungry. So I'm gonna go get something to eat.**

**Thanks so, so much for reading, I hope you liked it and, please, tell me what you think!**

**Love, Thalia**

**P.S. Dr. Barnes Sr is actually in the show, in 2x4 Blood Moon, but I made Dr. Barnes Jr up.**

**P.P.S. I still hate you, J.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Young Riders.**

* * *

Sam sat down at the dinner table and thanked Emma when she handed him a plate, knife and fork and then put a glass of lemonade in front of him. He took potatoes from Buck and the beef from Cody, filling his plate before grabbing a biscuit from the plate in front of him.

"Biscuits look good," Sam winked at Lou, knowing she'd tried her hand at making them this morning. Lou blushed and smiled and Sam managed to get the bite of biscuit down without choking on it. Ike wasn't paying attention to the conversation as it unfolded around him. He'd just arrived back from a ride to Fort Laramie and back and he was just waiting for supper to be over so he could collapse in his bunk and sleep for a day.

Ike was half asleep over the last of his dinner, head beginning to droop forward and fork lax in his hand. His elbow was on the table, propping his head up on his fist and he jerked up as his cheek slipped off his hand and his hand dropped into his potatoes.

"Widdle Ike-y's sweeepy," Cody grinned, reaching across the table and pinching Ike's cheek. Ike pulled away, slapping at Cody's hand. "You all tired 'cause you stopped in town to chase after Polly?"

Cody's face was laughing and he was obviously just teasing Ike, but Emma looked up at the mention. Ike's face flushed as brightly red as his bandana and he wanted to give Cody a few signs that would have landed him fixing fence posts for a month.

"Polly Tucker? Emma asked, her voice concerned. "Ike, you're courting after Polly Tucker?"

Ike shook his head no and Sam gave a hearty laugh. "Good thing too," he said around a mouthful of beef and potato. "Doc Barnes Jr's been a-callin' after her pretty regular. Every day this week." Sam looked up to see Emma glared at him. "Not that our Ike couldn't compete with Doc Jr, o' course. I mean, uh, o' course Polly'd want Ike. What girl would want – Can I go eat with the pigs?"

Emma just glared at him like he was dumber than a chicken. Ike's face burned like a sunburn. No one would do this to Kid or Lou. Why were _his_ affections fair dinner conversation?

"Ain't Doc Jr 'bout your age, Sam?" Jimmy took a swig of lemonade to wash down some of Lou's biscuit.

"'Round there," Sam nodded, shoveling more food into his mouth before he got himself into more trouble.

Ike felt his stomach knot. He'd left Monday morning and now it was Thursday night and now he found out that it wasn't old Dr. Moses Barnes that was courting his Polly, it was the young Dr. Lansford Barnes who set sights on his girl. Against the old man, Ike might have stood a fighting chance, but he couldn't compete against Doc Jr. He'd never be able to compete with Doc Jr. A mute, bald Pony Express rider against the handsome, smart doctor. That was an even fight if ever he saw one.

Not that he was in the competition at all, Ike reminded himself, trying not to grip his fork too tightly. Doc Jr could have Polly. Doc Jr would be a good match for Polly. Doc Jr could give Polly a whole heckuva lot more in a year than Ike could give her in a lifetime. The truth of that made him angry and Ike made to push himself away from the table, but Teaspoon's drawling voice stopped him.

"When I was a boy, there was a toy train on the top shelf behind the counter at the store in town. Pretty little train, she was. Sanded smooth and painted red and yellow. Her wheels moved when you dragged her across the ground and she came with a coal car and a caboose you could hook up behind her."

Ike rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. This sounded like it would take a while to get to whatever point Teaspoon was going to make, if he was even going to make a point at all.

"All the boys wanted her. Who wouldn't want the pretty new toy? Now, if that train'd been sittin there fer longer than we'd been born, we wouldn't have given it a thought. But she came in one summer night and went up onto the shelf. All o' us would wish after her. Not a one of us had a painted toy or a train with wheels that worked all smooth and fancy.

"By the end of the summer, all but two of us had moved on, givin up the silly dream of callin that there toy our own. That first boy had a rich pa who offered to pay fer the train. Offered twice what it was worth, three times either. The second boy had nothing o' value to offer in exchange for the little toy train.

"But that second boy, he'd never had much in the way of toys and he wanted that train real bad. He offered to work fer the shopkeeper, earn the toy. The second boy worked in the shop for months and, in the end, the shopkeeper gave him the toy, sayin he deserved it because he worked for it, he showed how much he wanted it with how much effort he put into gettin it in the first place."

Ike listened carefully, trying to figure out if Teaspoon was actually saying anything worth listening to. Teaspoon stood and walked over to the hearth, picking up a faded toy train from the mantle and walking back to his seat.

"The first boy was willin ta pay fer the toy, but payin fer somethin, gettin somethin 'cause you have shiny things ta offer ain't the same as earnin it and provin you deserve it."

Teaspoon rolled the train back and forth over the table before rolling her in Ike's direction. The train hit his plate and rocked on it's wheels for a moment before falling onto it's side. Ike stared at the train and Teaspoon started cackling in his spot, laughing so hard his shoulders shook and his eyes watered.

"Polly Choo Choo!"

Emma gave Teaspoon an exasperated look, but Sam burst out laughing like it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard in his life. The Marshal tried desperately to stop laughing when Emma glared at him, but he couldn't and soon the entire table was shaking with hysterics while Emma threw her hands in the air in disgust. Ike just sat silent and staring at the toy train lying on its side. Reaching out, he carefully righted the little toy until all three pieces were standing on their wheels the way they should. He got what Teaspoon was getting at, but he wasn't sure if deserving Polly worked exactly the same as deserving a toy train with wheels that turned.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Poor, poor Polly. I'll never be able to think of her as anything other than Polly Choo Choo ever again.**

**Anyways, a bazillion thanks to my beautiful sister for helping me with characterization I was unsure about. I love you loads and toads and goads and other such rhyming words.**

**Thanks so much for reading, I hope you liked it and, please, tell me what you think, good or bad.**

**Love, Thalia.**

**P.S. Still angry.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Young Riders.**

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"What was I thinking?" Polly moaned in despair and felt on the verge of crying. She'd done several impetuous, foolish things in her life, she knew that well, and now she gone and gotten herself stuck in a tree.

Polly looked down and tried to judge the distance from where she as stuck to the ground below. She'd gotten up just fine, easily picking her way up the limbs of the tree to the about halfway up. The view was as incredible as she'd thought it would be and Polly stayed up there a long time, looking miles in every direction. When she came back down, she went slowly, making sure to place her feet on the branches at would hold her. She was almost to the ground when she put her weight on the last tree limb and heard a crack.

She shifted and the branch cracked again. Her heart quicken and Polly tried to quicken her actions, finishing the climb down before the branch broke altogether, but as she was about to let go of the branch she held onto to lower herself fully onto the last branch and drop to the ground, the branch gave way and all she was clinging to was the branch above her.

Her father's voice rang in her head as she somehow managing to pull herself up onto the branch from which she hung. His disappointment made her feel stupid as she winced at her ripped sleeve and scraped arms and legs. Her scratched face stung. She couldn't get a firm hold on the tree anymore, because the sleeve of her left arm was caught on the bark. If she left go to tug it loose, she lose her balance and fall the twenty feet to the ground. If she jerked it loose, she'd lose her balance and fall the twenty feet to the ground.

Now she perched awkwardly, unmoving, in the tree in the middle of nowhere, wanting to cry over her own stupidity. She'd gone for a walk outside of town, walked for a mile, maybe two, enjoying the solitude and the scenery and exploring her new home. Seeing the tree rising high, she'd gotten the idea that, should she climb it, she'd be able to see everything she wanted to see. She'd always been a fair climber back home and the branches were close enough together that the tree should pose no problem. There was no one out here to see her, so why not?

Polly tucked the bottom of her skirt into the tops of her knickers until the skirt poofed out over her legs like the top of a mushroom and scampered up like a squirrel. The problem was that now she was stuck and there was still no one around. Stuck in a tree with her skirt in her knickers and a sleeve ripped and a face looking like she'd run straight into a tree, which, in a way, she sort of had.

She knew no one was coming by. She'd known that when she choose the tree, that was _why_ she choose this tree. No one would come to save her here and who would she want to see her this way at all? If Reverend Williams saw her… or if Lansford? Polly started crying and looked to the ground. Twenty feet wasn't too far. She could jump it and might not be too badly hurt. How could she be so stupid?

Her salty tears stung the scraps on her cheeks, but Polly couldn't stop crying, couldn't even reach up to wipe them away. She cried so hard that she thought the sounds of hoofs beating on the ground were a figment of her imagination until she looked up and saw a horse galloping by a hundred yards in front of her tree.

"HELP!" Polly shouted the word before she thought about it. She didn't care who it was anymore. She needed out of this tree. If she were lucky, it would be someone who wouldn't tell her embarrassing secret. "HELP!"

The horse stopped suddenly and Polly could see the rider twisting around in the saddle trying to figure out where the scream was coming from. The horse turned in a circle as the rider searched the area.

"Left!" Polly shouted again and the rider turned in her direction, still searching the ground. She cringed as she called out again and prayed her scrunched yellow dress could be seen through the foliage. "In the tree!"

Polly could see the end of the rider raise and the horse started trotting towards her. She couldn't tell who her rescuer was until he was right below her. When he looked up and she saw his face, Polly nearly died of mortification. It was the last person on earth she wanted to find her half dress in a tree. She'd prefer to have her father find her like this if it were a choice between him and Ike McSwain.

Ike's face broke out in a huge smile when he saw her and his shoulder's shook with laughter as he raised his hands in a gesture that plainly said "What happened?"

"I'm stuck to the tree!" Polly flushed red and waved her snagged arm haplessly. "And the branch broke when I was trying to get down."

Ike took his hat off and tossed it onto the ground, followed by his jacket. Soothing his horse wordlessly, he climbed up to stand on the beast's back and then jumped, easily grabbing the branch above him and swinging himself up. The horse, startled, skittered away to stop a few feet from the tree. Ike climbed better than she did and in less than a minute he was perched on a branch close to hers.

Reaching out with one hand, he worked her sleeve free and Polly thankfully took a more solid grasp on the tree. Ike touched her raw cheeks and his lips thinned into a straight line. The light touch stung a bit, but it sent tingles through the rest of her. Shaking his head, Ike looked her in the eye and then started to sign with one hand, doing more an awkward miming that really signing. He pointed at himself and then down on the ground. Then he pointing at her and made a jumping motion with his index finger. Afterwards came a motion with his arm across his chest that looked sort of like he would catch her.

"You want to go down there and then have me jump?" Polly's eyes widened. "I can't jump! I'll kill myself!"

Ike blinked at her and raised his eyebrows, asking for a better idea. He gestured at the surrounding branches and Polly had to sigh at the fact that she wasn't tall enough to maneuver to a branch a bit closer to the ground.

"Okay, you're right, you're right. You'll catch me?"

Ike nodded and started monkeying his way to a lower branch and then dropped at least fifteen feet to the ground. He winced on impact, but stood easily and positioned himself under her. Polly wanted to die as she very carefully got back into a hanging position, trying to keep her legs as closed at possible.

Raising his arms up, he gave her another nod and a 'come on' motion with his fingers. Squeezing her eyes tightly closed and taking a deep breath, Polly let go of the branch and fell.

* * *

**A/N:**

**See, J, I wasn't lying lying when I said I stuck Polly in a tree. Hey, I offered her pie and she said no. And Ike shoulda run away when he had the chance.**

**Thanks so very much for reading everyone!**

**Love, Thalia**

**P.S. I still hate your guts. Jerk.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Young Riders**

**Preface: I humbly recommend listening to Ray LaMontagne while reading this. Perhaps _Hold You in My Arms_ or _Be Here Now_. Ike really connected with Ray. Started pouring his heart right out while I listened to the amazing Ray.**

* * *

Ike caught her as she slammed into him and he wrapped his arms around her as he both hit the ground. The collision knocked the air out of both of them and they lay on the ground for a minute just trying to catch their breath. Ike realized his arms were still protectively locked around Polly and he let go, letting Polly scramble away from him and pull her skirt from her knickers.

Ike closed his eyes and looked away, trying to give her as much privacy as one could give a person who was half naked a foot away, but he could still see her in his mind. The knickers didn't actually show all that much, the beige fabric did synch well below her knees, but Ike knew it didn't matter – he'd be thinking about her wearing them, and her not wearing them, for a long time.

"Are you okay?" Polly's voice was quiet and embarrassed and Ike figured it was safe to look. He nodded, still flat on his back, and asked if she was. Polly nodded and Ike wasn't sure, but he thought he saw tears welling in her eyes before she turned away from him.

Pushing up into a sitting position and ignoring the searing pain from his back, Ike reached for her, touching her arm and, when she didn't pull away, he reached under her chin and lifted her face so he could see. Tears were streaming down her face and Ike went still. He had no idea what to do with a crying girl.

Tentatively, he rubbed a hand over her back, but that just seemed to make her cry even harder. Ike pulled his hand away, but it didn't feel right to just let her sit there and cry while he did nothing. He couldn't tell her it'd would be alright or even ask her what was wrong because she wasn't looking at him and, if she was, she wouldn't understand him anyway.

So he did the only thing that he could and the only thing that felt quite natural. He reached over and carefully lifted her into his arms. There was no one around to see, no one ever came this way unless they were riding to Salt Lake City, so Ike let her down in his lap and held her close, letting her bury her face into his chest as he gently rocked her back and forth.

He could have sat like that for hours. One of her hands was knitting in his shirt and the other was wrapped around his back. Her tears wet through to his long johns, but Ike didn't care. He held her tight, a hand on the back of her head and his cheek pressed to her silky hair. He'd never get to hold her like this again, Ike knew, so he might as well enjoy it as much as he could, commit the soft form in his arms to memory.

If he didn't show up in the waystation soon, Teaspoon would send someone out to look for him, but Ike stayed. She stopped crying, but didn't make to move, so Ike didn't move either. He wasn't going to forfeit what he wanted most before he had to. When Polly finally stirred in his arms, Ike let go obediently, giving her space to move away into a proper distance, but her hands didn't let go of him and his eyes flew open when her mouth touched his.

Her lips were insistent upon his and the hand in his shirt fisted tighter while her other hand touched his neck. Her eyes were tightly shut. Ike took two seconds to be dumbfounded before his arms acted of their own accord and wrapped her up again. Holding her closer than he had been before, the kiss deepened and Ike slipped his hands up to cradle the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair.

Ike pulled back for a breath, dropping kisses on her cheeks and jaw before Polly attacked his mouth again. Her tongue touched his lips and Ike didn't think twice before opening his mouth to her, exploring her as much as she explored him. Polly moaned softly into his mouth and Ike's eyes rolled into the back of his head. He lowered a hand down to her hips and had to fist his hand in her skirt to stop him from doing something stupid.

Polly blinked and her eyes went wide.

"Oh my God," Polly whispered and then scuttled backwards off him as quickly as possible. She clambered to her feet and Ike followed quickly, his back screaming at him for moving so suddenly. "Oh my God, what are we doing?"

Polly turned and started running back to town, but she didn't get very far before Ike caught her. She was crying again, scared, ashamed tears that Ike recognized from himself and never wanted to see her cry. He barely knew her, really; he knew her name, how pretty he thought she was, how she was sweet and smart and he really liked kissing her. He also knew that he never wanted to see her in pain and that seeing her cry was like a knife in the chest.

Ike was gentle, careful, as he held her lightly and let her cry until she cried herself out. She stood in his arms, sniffling and trying not to enjoy the way it felt to be held so lovingly, to have her hair caressed and to feel safe in a man's arms. This wasn't hers to keep and she shouldn't let herself get used to it.

"What must you think of me?" The sentence was nearly lost in Ike's shirt, but Ike squeezed her arm slightly to let her know he heard her. "Kissing you like that, you must think I'm some sort of harlot."

Ike shook his head 'no.' He lifted her head and gave her a smile, shaking his head again. He searched in his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, but it was so dirty with dust it was practically brown and they both stared at it for a moment.

Polly laughed first. She laughed so hard and so happy that Ike decided it was easily the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard in his life and he'd do anything to hear it again. Polly's laughter was infectious and Ike found himself laughing right along with her as he tucked his handkerchief back into his pocket.

He wanted to kiss her again, but didn't dare. It was one thing to kiss her after she'd kissed him sitting in his lap, but to kiss her here when they were both fully aware of what they were doing? No, he didn't dare to that. Letting go, he took her hand and tugged in the direction of where Marie had decided to lay down in the shade. Polly stood rooted to the spot and Ike tugged again, motioning for her to come with him with his free hand. Unsure, she took a step and then another, following. When they got closer, Marie stood in anticipation.

"I have to go," Polly tried to pull her hand away. "Reverend Williams is going to wonder where I've been." Ike touched her raw cheeks and turned her hands over to show the scraps. He fingered the rip in her sleeve and then tapped the mailbag over Marie's saddle. "I can't deliver mail!"

Ike started laughing, shaking his head and waving a hand to say that wasn't what he meant. He touched her hair again and then the mailbag, as if that would further explain what he meant. Polly just stared at him. He touched the rip in her sleeve again and mimed sewing it shut, touched the mailbag and pointed in the direction of town.

"You're going to sew up my dress?" Polly's eyebrows were raised and Ike grinned, laughter lighting his eyes. Shaking his head, he touched her hair again. "I'm going to sew my dress? Ike, I'm really confused."

Ike pointed at himself, back towards Sweetwater, then outlined the shape of a woman and immediately realized that was the wrong thing to do. Polly went pale and backed away from him, horrified.

"You have a wife? Oh my God. Oh my God, oh my God. What did I –"

"No!" Ike practically shouted with his hands and he reached to the mailbag again. He didn't know how to make her understand about Emma and everything he was saying was wrong. He didn't have anything to write on, much less anything to write with. Something to write with. Ike broke a thin stick off the branch Polly had broken and tugged her hand, getting her to watch the words he wrote in the dirt.

"Emma runs station. Help you. Fix dress. Hands. Face." Ike didn't bother writing complete sentences and he looked up to see relief across her face just as she covered her eyes with her hand.

"Oh thank the Lord."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Ike won't shut up. I was driving and Ike decided to spill his guts to me while I was driving. Asshole. What the heck am I supposed to do _while I'm driving_? Honestly, Ike. Have some consideration.**

**But, yes, Ike has a real connection with Ray LaMontagne. I have a real connection with Ray LaMontagne. He's amazing and he makes me cry like a baby. I had to up the rating on this story because Ike got a bit handsy under the influence of LaMontagne. Tsk tsk.**

**Okay. I'm going to bed because I'm tired and Ike finally shut the heck up. Thanks so much for reading and lemme know what ya think!**

**Love, Thalia**

**P.S. My lack of sleep is all your fault and I hate you with my entire heart. xoxo**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Young Riders.**

* * *

Polly sat stiffly in front of him. She didn't relax against his chest the way Ike had kind of let himself hope she would. Ike's arms were around her sides, holding Marie's reins, but that was the only place they were touching as they rode into the waystation. The handoff was a bit awkward and it took longer than usual to toss the other rider the mailbag, but once the rider was riding east, Ike jumped down off Marie and held his arms up to Polly to help her down as well.

Bracing herself on his arms, Polly slid down from Marie's back and let Ike catch her. She was scared and nervous and still not quite sure what she was doing here or if she should be here at all, but it felt good to have Ike's strong arms keeping her safe.

Teaspoon watched the entire exchange from the porch, chewing on a toothpick and feeling mighty pleased with himself. Just last week, he'd been talking about trains trying to convince Ike shouldn't simply hand over what he wanted without a fight just because Doc Jr had more to offer and now here the boy was bringing the girl home. Though, Teaspoon wasn't quite sure why the girl looked like she'd gotten in a fight with an aggressive rooster and lost.

"Well, howdy!" Teaspoon called, not stepping off the porch. "Took you long enough, Ike. Charlie was waitin a hour 'fore you showed up."

"Sorry," Ike signed. One look at Teaspoon told him he really wasn't in any trouble, so he didn't bother getting too upset over being late. "I ran into trouble."

"I'll say you found some trouble. Miss, you look like you found yourself on the angry end of a pissed off mule. Hey, Emma! We got ourself a guest for dinner!" Teaspoon called over his shoulder, but still didn't move from his perch. He wanted to let Ike do this mostly on his own, unless the boy did something stupid. In that case, he was morally obligated to step in and save the boy's chances with the girl he liked so much. It was what fathers did and, blast it all, if Teaspoon didn't find himself thinking like these ratty boys were his own more and more each day.

"Who's here?" Emma came out into the porch and a smile broke out onto her face. "You must be Polly. I'm Emma Shannon. It's nice to finally meet you." When she got closer, she saw the Polly's state and brought a hand to her mouth. "Ike, what did you do to the poor girl? Polly! Are you okay? Ike, what in the world happened?"

Ike hesitated before signing to Emma.

"You tripped? Polly, you must have falling for ages," Emma shook her head and held out a hand for Polly to follow. "Let's get you fixed up."

Polly looked to Ike, who smiled encouragingly and gave her a small push, before following Emma inside. Emma chatted away, filling the silence while Polly cleaned her cuts so that she wasn't forced to talk as Emma sewed the rip in her dress closed. Emma stopped in the middle of telling about the time Ike brought Samson home to take a breath and Polly spoke.

"I didn't really trip," she admitted quietly and Emma nodded. "I was stuck in a tree. Ike found me and got me down. I got scrapped up when a branch broke. I didn't trip. Ike was just being kind."

"Well," Emma smiled and tied off the knot on Polly's sleeve, handing the dress back to her. "I don't see any need to go wastin' his kindness, do you?"

ooo ooo ooo ooo

"Was that Polly Tucker walking into the house?" Cody exploded into the barn, Buck and Kid close behind him, as Ike was washing down Marie. "You actually brought her home! What'd you have to do to get her here? Tell her you were dying?"

"How _did_ you get her here?" Kid asked the question again, a smile bright on his face.

"How'd you get her away from Doc Jr?" Buck wanted to know.

"She fell and needed help," Ike hold them. "Emma's helping her."

"She fell, huh?" Cody's grin widened. "And you just happened to be there? Nice one, Ike. I should use that some time. How exactly did you get her to fall? A rope? Naw, that'd be too noticeable."

Ike scowled. "She fell," he repeated firmly. "She needed help. That's it."

"So…" The wheels turning in Buck's head could be seen across his face. "You didn't get her away from Doc Jr."

"No," Ike shook his head.

"Well then, what the heck are ya doin out here?" Cody rolled his eyes. "She's in there waitin for you ta go in there and sweep her off her feet and you're just sitting out here waitin for daisies!"

"I thought you were gonna marry her," Ike raised an eyebrow at Cody and Cody guffawed.

"Ike, Ike, Ike," Cody shook his head with a huge grin, "I'm gonna marry me Hetty Green. Gonna be livin' rich."

"Yeah, 'cause the richest woman in the world's gonna marry you, Cody," Kid rolled his eyes.

"Dinner's hot, boys!" Teaspoon shouted out over the yard and before long the herd of them was sitting around the table in Emma's kitchen. Teaspoon sat at the head of the table, with Lou, Kid and Cody on one side and Buck, Ike and Polly on the other. Jimmy was out on a ride. Emma dished out stew and biscuits were passed around on a plate.

"So, where are you from, Polly?" Emma asked, as everyone broke bread.

"Brookfield, Wisconsin. In the middle of the big woods."

"And your mama let you come all the way out here by yourself? I don't think I could stand havin my daughter ride clear cross the country."

Polly wiped her mouth. "There were ads for teachers out here, so my father decided to send me. There were no boys and I'm the sixth of six girls, so it was either marry me off or send me away. All of my sisters are married or engaged to be married. I guess I was the odd duck," Polly gave a light laugh, but Emma tutted. Lou and Kid gave matched expressions of disgust. Cody stared with a mouth full of stew and Buck made a face at his plate. Ike wanted to go find her father and demand to know why he thought Polly dispensable. Even Teaspoon looked disapproving.

"Did you want to come?" Ike asked. Buck translated for him and Ike nodded that the translation was right.

"Yes and no," Polly said thoughtfully. "I was scared to leave home, I've never been anywhere but Brookfield. But I was excited to come out here and see the west for myself." She paused and looked Ike right in the eyes with a shy smile. "There aren't as many trees as there are back home."

Ike was quiet for a second and then started laughing and the rest of the table watched the two as Polly seemed to blossom under his doting attention.

* * *

**A/N:**

**It was a looooong day at work. I had a three-year-old yank my hair from my head and screech in my ear and her mother, who watched the entire thing, took the child away, didn't scold her and didn't even apologize to me! I hate parents sometimes. They let their kids do whatever the heck they want and then they wonder why their children grow up to be worthless.**

**I'm going to go watch The Cowboys (which I watched last night) and go to sleep.**

**Thanks so much for reading!**

**Love, Thalia**

**P.S. This is your fault, J. Though, I miss your boys. Not you. You, I'm mad at. But I miss your boys. Love and kisses.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Young Riders.**

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The buckboard beneath them bumped along the road from the waystation into town and Ike felt uncomfortable in the silence. Polly sat next to him, a respectable distance away but still near enough for him to be fully aware of her presence. Two hundred miles was near enough for him to be aware. He wanted so badly to have a conversation with her, but it was difficult to talk with ones' hands when they were full of reins.

Buck and Teaspoon both rode in on their horses beside the buckboard and Ike wished he could ride Marie with Polly the way they had earlier - her sitting in front of him with his arms around her. She'd relaxed over dinner and Ike was almost sure she'd lean against him now if they were sitting front to back on a horse.

Now, though, going back into town, she sat like a plank was strapped to her back with her hands in her lap, looking straight ahead. There was no laughter or stories of playing hide and seek behind mounds of stacked paper in the print shop and sneaking off to the hay bale loft to read after her chores were done. She didn't speak at all. Finally, as they were about to roll into town, Ike couldn't take the silence anymore. He touched her hand, just to get her attention, and she jerked away like his touch carried the plague.

When she saw the hurt flash in his eyes, she sighed and looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry."

"Are you okay?" he asked, signing slowly and hoping she'd understand.

"What's wrong?" Ike nodded. "Nothing, nothing's wrong. I'm fine."

Ike glanced at her with an expression that plainly told her he knew she was lying. She just turned and looked ahead, shutting him out. Scowling, Ike watched the horse make its way towards the church, behind which stood the house occupied by Reverend Williams and his family.

The door to the house opened as Ike pulled the buckboard to a stop. Ike jumped off and helped Polly down as Teaspoon and Buck dismounted. Polly immediately stepped away from Ike was Reverend Williams came bustling towards them, rage coming off him like a smoke signal.

"Where on God's green earth have you been, Polly Tucker?

"Now, hold on a minute, Reverend," Teaspoon sauntered up before the tirade could start. "She's been fine. She had a spill out walkin and we set her right. She had supper out at the waystation."

"The waystation? With that pack of wild dogs and halfbreeds you try and pass off as boys? No girl worth anything is safe there!"

Buck's back straightened in defiance and Ike narrowed his eyes. Teaspoon shrugged, like the words didn't mean anything to him.

"Well, I think the only danger Miss Polly there was in tonight was being a bit overfed," Teaspoon smiled at Polly, but, still, Polly stared straight ahead.

"She comes back with a face like that and you say she's fine? Hunter, we have very different ideas about what 'fine' means. She's the town's teacher. How's she supposed to be a role model to our children when she runs around like a savage? Young lady, your father and I made it very clear what behaviour was acceptable while you lived with my household. Hunter, which one of your boys did this to her?"

"I did it," Polly's voice started off firm, but gained resolve as she spoke. "I tripped and I fell, Reverend. I got scrapped falling."

"Doctor Barnes has been waiting for you. Did you ever think of how fraternizing with these scoundrels –"

"They helped me," Polly insisted as the door opened and closed again. Lansford's boots thudded against the floor, he paused for a second and then his steps quickened until he was right in front of her.

"Polly, what happened?"

"I fell, I'm fine," Polly took a step back and Ike took a step forward at the same time. Lansford followed the movement and, as Ike started talking, made two long strides and punched Ike full across the left side of his face.

Polly screamed as Ike crumpled to the ground. Buck already had his gun out and pointing at Lansford.

"All he was trying to do was tell you she was alright," his voice was cold. Lansford raised his hands slightly in a gesture of surrender, his chest heaving in anger. He turned to look at Polly, but she was kneeling next to Ike, shaking his shoulder and saying his name. Teaspoon hustled over to Ike and Polly with a mumble of "Lordy Lord" under his breath and helped Ike to his feet. Ike bled slightly from just next to his eye. Polly blotted at it with a clean handkerchief as Teaspoon got him back to the buckboard.

"You keep punchin innocent men, Doc Jr, and yer gonna find yourself one who punches back," Teaspoon got onto the buckboard next to Ike and picked up the reins as Buck grabbed the reins to Teaspoon's horse to lead the beast along side him. "Miss Polly, it was a pleasure havin you to supper. You're welcome any time."

"Why did you do that?" Polly demanded when they were gone. "He never did anything and you just punched him!"

"I'm sorry, Polly. I thought he hurt you. I lost my head for a minute," Lansford touched her shoulder and Polly pulled away. Lansford sighed. "I'll apologize straight away. First chance I get. I promise, Polly."

"He would never hurt me," Polly insisted. She didn't want Lansford to touch her. She didn't want anyone to touch her. She wanted to go back to those moments safe in Ike's arms, but they were only in her memory now. "He's my friend."

"He's no sort of friend for you," Reverend Williams told her. "None of those boys are. I want you to stay away from them while you're living in my house, you understand? You're not to see any of those Pony Express riders."

"He's right, Polly," Lansford said compassionately, his tone gentle and smiling, "They mean well. They're all good boys, really, but they find trouble mighty easy. You're better off staying away. Find some friends better suited for you."

"I'm tired," Polly looked at the ground. "I think I'd like to go to bed. Thank you kindly for calling, Lansford."

"Do you need me to look at your cuts, Polly?"

"No, thank you. Emma Shannon checked them over. They're just scratches."

"Alright. Goodnight, Polly."

"Goodnight, Lansford. Reverend Williams."

Reverend Williams gave a tut of acknowledgement and Polly went inside, trying hard not to run the entire way to her room. She closed and locked the door and stared out the window through the slit in the curtain until Lansford shook Reverend Williams' hand and left. Once she was sure he was gone, Polly changed from her dress into her nightgown, wincing when she had to tug the cloth over her forearms, and crawled into bed.

Polly grabbed the rag doll from her nightstand, the only semblance of childhood she had left, and curled herself into a ball around it. She pushed her face into the doll's black yarn hair and cried. In that moment, all she wanted was to be back in Brookfield, sitting in the parlor after supper, doing the mending next to her mother and listening to Grandpa Tucker read to them with her father whittled. Instead, she was out in the middle of who really knew where, crying her eyes dry over a boy she didn't know, but wanted to so badly and a man she knew she should love, but wasn't sure she would.

She cried for a long time. All the tears she kept inside since leaving Brookfield found their way to her pillow, tears she knew were there and tears she didn't know existed. She cried for her mother and her father, she cried for her sisters and Grandpa Tucker, she cried for her aunts and uncles. She cried for familiar faces and streets, the haytick she slept on every night. She cried for the print shop and her father's church, the barn and the garden. She cried for the Junction and the Big Woods and Collin's Bakery. When she finally cried herself to sleep, the last thought in her head was of solid arms around her back, a cheek to her hair and kisses on her nose.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Oh look, another chapter. What's this restraint you speak of? What's this 'Finish the last chapter of your other story!' business? Psht. Noooo... Why do that why you can listen to Ike never stop talking. For a mute boy, the kid never shuts the heck up. I tried to go to sleep last night and he kept me up another hour. Jerk.**

**Thanks for reading and I hope you liked it!**

**Love, Thalia**

**P.S. I blame you for my lack of sleep. We'll settle this later. Like men.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Young Riders.**

* * *

Two months passed and Ike didn't hear a word from Polly. He saw her in town a few times, but she'd duck away if she caught a glance of him. Every time she vanished into a store or alleyway, Ike's heart sank. Whatever chance he'd had with her was gone.

Lansford Barnes had showed up early the next morning asking to talk to Ike. Begrudgingly, Ike had gone out to speak to the man. He stood on the porch, the brown and green bruise spreading away from his eye down to his cheek and up to his forehead, and looked down at Doc Jr for a second or two before taking the steps down to the yard.

"_Ike, I wanted to come apologize for last night," Doc Jr folded his hands in front of him and looked Ike straight in the face. "I got a look at Polly and lost my head for a minute. She's very important to me. The thought of something happening to her… I overreacted and I'm dearly sorry."_

_Ike nodded and turned to leave, but Doc Jr caught his arm to stop him. Ike jerked his arm away and Doc Jr let go._

"_Surely you understand, Ike. If something happened to your girl, don't you think you might react without thinking? I know you'd never hurt her."_

"_You're girl?" Ike asked. "She's her own girl, not yours. She doesn't belong to you. She's a person, not a horse."_

"_I'm sorry, I don't understand," Doc Jr looked almost ashamed at his lack of ability to hear what Ike was saying. Ike wasn't used to that look, he was used to people laughing and turning away from him. He wasn't used to apologies. "I'm just trying to apologize, Ike. I'm ashamed of what I did. I 'spect it'd be a mite difficult to forgive me. I know I'd have a hard time of it."_

_Ike shook his head and looked down at his boots. When he looked back up, he waved a hand, telling Doc Jr to forget it. "It's okay."_

Two months.

A lot changed in two months. Polly was with Doc Jr constantly. Just a few days ago, Ike was coming out of the dry goods store as church was letting out and he'd see Polly walking out on Doc Jr's arm and smiling up at the doctor like he hung the sun. Ike had spent the rest of the day chopping enough firewood to get the waystation through three winters. When Buck had come out to see him, Ike had shrugged away his friend and kept imagining Doc Jr's smiling face on every piece of wood he split.

Ike lay on his back by the water hole. He'd brought his journal, but he couldn't think of what to write. Emma and Sam had only been gone one day and Ike missed her like crazy already. Most of the town had come to see the two off and Ike had seen Polly give Emma a hug. The two spoke a minute before Polly disappeared into the crowd and Ike didn't see her again that afternoon.

Right now, he wasn't sure who he wanted to see more in that minute, Emma or Polly. He hated resenting Emma's happiness, but, watching her roll away with Sam, he felt abandoned. She'd cared for him, feed him, mothered him; she'd made him feel like he had a family again. And then she left. She left him, them, and went all the way to Omaha. Everyone hated seeing her leave. Noah had just come to them and even he disliked seeing Emma and Sam go. Ike hated it. The only mother-figure he had left, the only woman who cared what happened to him and she was gone eight hundred miles away. Ike would never see her again.

He wanted to talk to Polly. He wanted to go back two months and laugh with her at the dinner table; he wanted to go back and relive those moments of getting to know her and hearing about her life and family. He wanted to feel her soft in his arms and her lips against his. He wanted to talk to her and confide in her how much he missed Emma already. He knew, though, that Polly had picked better when picking Lansford. For all Teaspoon's talk about deserving and earning and trains, Polly, like any sensible woman, picked the man who could actually take care of her. Ike wasn't surprised at that. He _was_ surprised at how much it stung.

Ike stretched and pulled his hat down over his head. If he wasn't going to write, maybe he could at least take a nap.

ooo ooo ooo ooo

Polly crouched, concealed in the bushes where she'd been hiding for nearly an hour now. She'd come to the waterhole to read and was just settling down with _Ruth_ when she heard footsteps, panicked and dove into the bush tree for cover. She was afraid that, should someone spot her book, they'd take it away and tell Reverend Williams. So far, she'd managed to keep the books she knew he'd disapprove of from being found and she didn't want to take chances now.

A man had come into view and, for a second, Polly went cold at the thought that perhaps the man would want to go swimming and she would be stuck here while he did whatever he was going to do. It was the waterhole, after all. When the man turned and Polly saw it was Ike, her face went scarlet and she felt embarrassed heat rush to every bit of skin she had. Closing her eyes, she prayed he was not about to strip down to his long johns… or worse!

Polly nearly cried in relief when Ike sat down in the shade of a tree and took out a worn-looking handmade journal. He didn't write, though. He sat and stared at the water, stood and paced back and forth, lay flat on his back and stared at the tree branches. During all of this, Polly hid in the bush. She didn't know why she stayed hidden. She could have gone out to see him – she _wanted_ to go out and see him, but she didn't.

She didn't want to get caught by him doing a second stupid thing. Every time she met him, she was in the middle of doing something foolish. She also didn't want to risk getting to close to him. She was back in Reverend Williams good graces and Lansford was so kind to her and Ike had 'danger' written all over him in letters bigger than the ones on the sign outside the saloon.

Finally, when it looked like he'd fallen asleep in the shade, Polly crept from the bush. She was out of the bush and hurrying towards the road when a stick cracked loudly beneath her feet. Ike jerked and pulled his hat away from his face, staring right at her. Polly let out a strangled squeak and ran, too spooked to realize she'd dropped her book in her flight.

* * *

**A/N:**

**OH SHIT WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?**

**I just got home from work, that's what's happening now. And I'm going out to dinner with friends in a bit, so that's what's happening later. Right now I'm just resting my sore feetsies.**

**Hopefully, I'll finished Cracked Concrete tomorrow, so yay! If Derek and Sammie cooperate with me and Ike shuts the heck up long enough to write something besides him.**

**Okay, I'm gonna go get something to drink because I'm parched. Toodles!**

**Thanks so much for reading!**

**Love, Thalia**

**P.S. Jerk.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Young Riders.**

* * *

Polly stood from her desk and took the cloth to start wiping down the chalkboard. She loved wiping the board clean at the end of the day, like she was clearing a little room in her student's heads for her to fill tomorrow. She was almost through when the door opened.

Turning, Polly saw the Indian man who worked for the Pony Express standing in the doorway, closing the door behind me. Polly wanted to scream and hide beneath the desk, but she squared her shoulders the best she could and stood her ground.

"Have you decided you need some extra learning, Mr. Cross?"

"Heh, no, ma'am," Buck shook his head with a small smile, his hands in the pockets of his trousers. "I 'spect I've have plenty o' learnin."

"Then, what can I do for you?"

"I was hoping you'd have some time to talk." Buck took a step forward and Polly took a step back, bumping into the chalkboard. Buck frowned. "Are you this scared of all men or just me in particular?"

"I'm not scared of you," Polly shook her head, denying it, and Buck just raised an eyebrow. "I'm not!"

"Well, excuse me for sayin, but you're doing a great impression of a thrush in a cage then." Buck stayed on the other side of the room and leaned back against the wall. "Now, I know you don't act like this around Doc Jr and I don't think this is how you got Ike so crazy about you, so it must be me."

The silence sat heavily in the room as Buck studied her and Polly picked at the cuff of her dress' sleeve.

"There ain't many of my kind left in the Big Woods, are there?"

"No, none," Polly shook her head again. "You're the first I've met."

"Well, I promise I have no intention of cooking you into stew. We prefer a little more fat on someone we're going to cook," Buck watched her eyes widen. "That was a joke, Polly."

"Oh."

"How about I sit down over here," Buck put a hand on one of the desks in the back row, "and you sit down at your desk and we talk for a bit?"

"Reverend Williams –"

"There's at twenty feet between here and there, Polly. I don't know what stories they tell about Indians back where you're from, but we can't cover twenty feet any faster than a white man," Buck sat down, waiting for her. After a minute or so of hemming and hawing, Polly sat back down at her desk. They sat in silence until Buck spoke. "The stories you heard must be something. Tell me one."

"They said that Indians kidnapped woman and children," Polly said unsure, looking down at her hands. "That they would come in and destroy homes, kill people, scalp people."

"That's all true," Buck nodded. "A lot of Indians are angry at the way the white men are stealing their land. But the Indians aren't the only ones in the wrong. My father was a white man; he… _took_ my mother. She was Kiowa. The white men give the Indians blankets with disease, go back on treaties, kill them in the night."

"You make it sound like they're right."

Buck shook his head. "Neither is right." Polly bit her lip and Buck leaned forward. "You have a question."

"Have you ever… have you ever done any of that?"

"I've protected myself."

"A man back home, his father was scalped. I wasn't born then. Brookfield wasn't really a town then. Everyone knows the story, though. The thought is scary."

"The only person I've ever scalped is Ike," Buck used the joke he'd used once before and Polly stared for a minute before she burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that Buck started laughing with her, much more satisfying than the first time he'd told the joke. Polly was actually smart enough to understand the joke.

"Why are you here? I mean, not _here_ here, not 'why are you in the school house' here, but here. Why aren't you with the Indians?"

"To the Indians, I'm white. Just like, to the white man, I'm Indian. I don't belong in either place. When I was younger, my tribe forced me to leave. Some white men found me and put me in a mission. That's where I met Ike."

"And you both ride for the Pony Express now," Polly looked at him and Buck nodded. "Do you like the Pony Express?"

"I like the people I work with. The people back east can be frustrating. They don't understand what it's like out here and most don't want to learn. But I like the work mostly."

"How is Sweetwater for you? Do people… accept you?"

"Tompkins doesn't like me, but most everyone else is okay. They just see me as a rider, I think. Until there's trouble with the Indians. Then they remember I'm Indian."

"That must be hard."

Buck could see Polly's features change from when he'd walked in to now. She was calmer and less nervous, less ready to jump through the window and run. She looked at him with curiosity instead of fear and Buck kept the conversation going, answering her questions and asking his own, until she looked relaxed enough for him to bring up the reason he came.

"Summer's almost over."

"Yes," Polly nodded.

"Are you staying on to teach in the winter or are you leaving Sweetwater?"

"I'm staying. My contract goes until next summer."

"Then there's no reason for you to turn away an invitation to dinner tomorrow with us," Buck smiled at her.

"There's every reason to turn it down. Thank you for offering, but…" Polly hesitated a moment, "Thank you, but I have to decline."

"Why?"

"Lansford –"

"Last I checked, you weren't promised to Doc Jr just yet."

"Reverend Williams –"

"Is a self-important bigot."

"He can send me away," Polly argued. "If I get sent away from my first job, who do you think will hire me?"

"The town hired you, Polly, not Reverend Williams. He can't fire you."

"If you don't think Reverend Williams can sway the town to get rid of me, than you're a fool."

"Maybe," Buck shrugged. "Do you really like Doc Jr better than Ike? Or is it that Doc Jr's the smarter choice?"

"Ike is…" Polly fumbled over her response until Buck saved her from answering as he stood to leave.

"My people, they have a saying. The words don't translate, but they say that a person has two options. They can follow their head or they can follow their heart. Following your head is usually the smart decisions, but even the smartest decisions are sometimes not right. A person can make all the smart decisions and still be miserable. Your heart may lead you through hard times and sadness, but it will ultimately take you to happiness."

* * *

**A/N:**

**THIS IS THE WORST CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF EVER. Good Lord, it's terrible. I'm so sorry. I've been trying so hard to make this dang thing work and it's just sitting in a corner stubborn as hell going, "I DON'T WANNA AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" and then it stuck it's tongue out at me and blew a raspberry. It did some other crude things as well, but I won't go into those here.**

**If anyone has ANY idea about how to make this chapter better, I'd love you forever and a day. Not even Ray was helping. /sob**

**Thanks for reading (this piece of poo) and I hope you liked it (read: didn't totally hate it).**

**Love, Thalia**

**P.S. /sigh**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Young Riders.**

* * *

Ike looked out the window for the seventeenth time in as many minutes. A ninth plate had been set at the table, but no one sat in front of it. Jimmy stared longingly at the biscuits and sighed.

"Ike, she ain't comin," he said. "I'm sorry, Ike, but we've been waitin half a hour. She ain't gonna come."

"You said she said she was coming," Ike turned to Kid, his expression sad and disappointed.

"That's what she said when I saw her in town," Kid repeated his story again. "She said to thank Buck and, if the invitation to dinner still stood, she'd like to accept."

"She knew it was tonight, right?" Cody asked.

"Yes," Buck and Kid spoke at once.

"I was just askin!"

"Ike, let's give her another few minutes," Rachel said kindly. "Maybe something delayed her."

"Thirty minutes?" Noah scoffed and leaned forward on the table. "C'mon, Rachel, can't we just eat? It's gettin cold. The girl just got herself cold feet and now she's gonna make us eat cold food."

"I was ridin all day," Jimmy complained. "I'm _hungry_."

Ike stomped across the room and through the door, not bothering to mask his anger as the door slammed closed behind him. He wasn't angry with them. They were right. He was just angry. Angry with Polly for getting his hopes up. Angry with himself for getting his hopes up, for being that stupid. He knew better than to dream about Polly Tucker or any other girl for that matter. And, yet, he'd let himself do something as stupid as falling in love with her.

The men who thought he was stupid were right. He was just a big dummy who couldn't talk. Worth nothing. He'd never be anything but a worthless dummy. Nothing more. Just a big dummy.

Ike swung up onto Marie and rode out of the yard, heading towards town. Ike tried to push Marie past a trot, but the horse seemed to know he was heading out to do something stupid and wanted to give him as much time to calm down as she could. Halfway to town, Ike's shoulders were drooped forward in defeat. Why had he gotten his hopes up that she would come? The thought was stupid – like him. It was the thought of a big dummy.

He looked down at his hands. They were rough and leathery, worn tough from years of physical labour. It was all he'd ever be good for, really – a lifetime of hard work with very little to show for it and certainly nothing to offer a pretty girl. Any woman that chose him would be signing up for a very hard life. Ike couldn't imagine Polly's soft, smooth hands ever looking like Emma's or Rachel's. He'd never be able to buy her that pink calico she'd been admiring or books like the one she'd dropped.

Riding into town, Ike wasn't sure why he had kept riding this way instead of turning back to the station house. He should have gone back to the station house. If he had gone back to the station house, he wouldn't have seen what he just saw. Polly walked down the street, arm-in-arm with Doc Jr.

She was smiling at Doc Jr and Ike felt a pang of jealousy surge through him. He needed to give up. This entire charade was nothing more than a simpleton's idiocy run rampant. Polly looked away from Doc Jr and her eyes met Ike's. The smile on her face faded and she looked terribly sad. The brown eyes seemed to plead with him, for what, he wasn't quite sure.

Ike gave her a curt nod, trying to tell her that he understood, and then pushed Marie into a trot back out of town. He circled around for a while, riding aimlessly, before heading back to the waystation. It was still plenty light out when Ike left Marie in the barn and headed into the bunkhouse to find Jimmy, Cody and Buck playing poker with Rachel. Ike swung up onto his bunk and watched the game unfold. Just after Rachel left with her winnings, Teaspoon walked through the door.

"Kid leave for Bend yet?"

"Couple hours ago," Jimmy answered, shuffling what little coin he had left from the table into his hand.

"Tomorrow morning, one of you boys is gonna havta ride over ta Pine Bluff," Teaspoon walked around the table to stop next to Cody to grab the coffee pot. Ike perked up, listening intently as Buck voiced the question Ike wanted to ask.

"Why?"

"Anybody here know o' Larson Biggers?"

"He's a nasty piece of work," Jimmy commented, following Teaspoon's movement. Ike had heard the name before, but only in passing: no tales, just the name. Larson Biggers meant about as much to him as Owen Bakers and Ike had just made that name up.

"Owns half the town, don' he?" Cody tapped the playing card against the table, not looking up from the card as he moved it between his fingers.

"Also owns ten thousand acres by the western pass through the Wasatch," Teaspoon sat. "And that land has the only water fer fifty miles around."

"Wait a minute, Teaspoon," Jimmy looked concerned, as did Buck. "Didn't Biggers already agree to let us use it?"

Ike sat straight in his bunk. Now he was remembering the name.

"He did, but he conviently forgot ta sign the papers 'n now he's making noise about raisin' the price," Teaspoon waved a hand around like he was swatting an annoying fly.

"They can't do that," Buck protested in his normal, calm nature – a complete departure from the way Ike had been feeling the past while.

"The company agrees with ya, Buck. That's why I'm gonna send one o' you boys over there ta get him to sign this here contract," Teaspoon pulled a folded piece of paper out of his jacket and tossed it on the table. "Which, more'n likely, he ain't gonna be to eager to do. I'd go myself, but with Barnet outta town…"

Ike didn't hear anything else. His mind was whirring faster than Marie could run. _He_ could take the contract. He could do it. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bunk, he jumped down. He didn't even need to speak, Teaspoon knew what he was thinking and stood to meet him.

"You wanna go, Ike? Hold on, maybe that's not such a good idea. What if he wants to argue the thing?"

Ike's heart plummeted. Not even Teaspoon had any confidence in him. For all his talk about earning and deserving, Teaspoon didn't expect anything of him anyways. Ike crossed his arms over his chest and looked down, as if covering his body could protect him against the unintentionally inflicted wounds that burrowed into his soul to create tears that couldn't heal.

"Ike," Jimmy spoke up. "Even I ain't goin."

Who was Jimmy to talk? Jimmy had everything; Jimmy didn't have anything to prove to anyone, much less to himself. Ike _needed_ this. He needed to prove himself to them, to the town, to Polly… to himself. If he could do this – and he knew he could! – he know he was worth something, that he was more than just a sack of bones tied together with muscle and skin.

"Why don't you trust me?" Ike asked angrily, his resentment growing the more the thought about it and replayed memories in his mind.

"Ike, you know I trust you. That idn't what I'm talkin' about."

"Teaspoon, I'll go with him," Buck offered, jumping to help his friend the way he always did, but this time Ike felt a flare of irritation rather than the usual gratitude. He didn't need Buck. He could do this by himself.

"Is that okay with you, Ike?"

No! Ike wanted to scream, but he didn't. Throwing a childish tantrum would just prove everyone right, just show he wasn't a man worth anything, that they were all right and he really was just a big dummy who cried when he didn't get what he wanted. Instead, he nodded.

"Good, than that's settled. But I want you boys to promise me one thing. No matter what happens, you won't let him git yer goat. Just get his John Hancock on this piece o' paper and get out."

Teaspoon went to hand the contract to Buck and Ike couldn't help himself. He snatched the paper from Teaspoon before Buck could even get a grip and turned to his buck, climbing back up and sitting where he had been before, clenching the contract as he formed a plan.

* * *

**A/N:**

**I'M ALIVE. This story has been kiiiiilling me. Like I told J early today, Polly and Ike have been holed up in a root cellar refusing to talk to me at all. They wouldn't tell me what was supposed to happen in their story, they wouldn't tell me what they were up to, they wouldn't even acknowledge my existence. I think they were having s-e-x. Shhhh. Don't let them know that I know.**

**Anyways, everything I've written for them sucks so hard it could rip the roof of a house like an Oklahoma twister. So J threatened them and they started cooperating earlier this evening. Or maybe I just needed the time away from them to let them sort themselves and their story out. Who knows. Hopefully they'll be nice to me from now on. However, I do go back to school on Monday, so writing of any kind will be slow goings.**

**I'm hungry. I went to my best friend's little brother's Eagle Scout ceremony this morning. I've been bff's with Squishie since grade 3 and his brother was in, like, kindergarten at the time? Anyways, 15 years. So it was pretty awesome seeing the ceremony. Then we went back to Squishie's house and had homemade pizza with the family and played Cranium. It was awesome. I love them. But now it's 1:30 and I'm hungry again. So I'm gonna go get something to eat.**

**I hope the wait didn't make yall too angry with me!**

**Love, Thal**

**P.S. Thanks, J. (I'll be angry again later).**


End file.
